I See Fire
by ShinigamiMailJeevas
Summary: "We are all about to die horribly so don't deny me my vices. Second," Tony motioned to the window, where if anyone were to look to ground level, hordes of infected, dead-yet-still-freaking-walking, citizens were mauling the living. -Eventual Slash. Rated for later parts.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing or make money from the comics, movies or other media for this franchise.

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 **AN** : I get inspired by music a lot and this idea is no different. The entire intro started with the first line and spiraled. You can thank these lyrics however, and it has now become the theme XD

 _~If this is to end in fire_

 _Then we should all burn together_

 _Watch the flames climb high into the night_

 _Calling out father, oh, stand by and we will_

 _Watch the flames burn auburn on_

 _The mountain side_

 _And if we should die tonight_

 _We should all die together_

 _Raise a glass of wine for the last time~_

 _-"I See Fire" - Jasmine Thompson_

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Chapter 1

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"Three cheers for the end of the world," Tony snorted and thrust his glass into the air. Silence descended over the room and normally he would have stared them all down, defended the flippant remark, but Tony simply could not pry his gaze from the destruction down below. He felt all a princess in her high tower, safe as her subjects burned. Taking a sip of scotch, he realized he'd just called himself Peach, and shot the alcohol through his nose as he wheezed out a laugh. _oh god._

"Think you've had enough." The haggard shadow of the once Winter Soldier loomed over him, reaching for his precious scotch, and Tony clutched the glass close.

"We are all about to die horribly so don't deny me my vices. Second," and Tony did turn to meet Captain America's silently judgmental gaze, "I'm not even close to being drunk. I just think it's hilarious that the cities superheroes are all locked up safe and sound in the Ivory tower because apparently the only thing we can't fight is death." Tony motioned to the window, where if anyone were to look to ground level, hordes of infected, dead-yet-still-fucking-walking, people were mauling the living.

It was a clusterfuck.

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In the early stages of infection they had tried to fight. Tried to capture, corral and detain. Treat those with bites—fuck, some were missing bits of their face, teeth from fellow citizen literally having ripped flesh from bone—trample wounds and various other injuries. Hospitals and clinics were overrun and even relief efforts were overwhelmed. The Avengers, hell even Spiderman and Daredevil, had stepped up to quell the chaos. At least until they found out who or what had caused the situation. Thor was off-world, though Loki and his damnable magic was on most minds despite no traces of magic detected, so theories went to water supply—could it have been tampered with, and why? Possible dirty bomb? Who gained from all the chaos? Not a single one of them had an answer.

Then strange reports came in of victims, clearly dead, getting up and walking. They attacked anyone around them. Most believed it was a poor attempt at a breaking-news story, trying to profit on the panic already rampant.

Tony wished that were true. God, they had all been so stupid to ignore the facts that had practically slapped them in the face. It wasn't until Pepper had been bitten by a man stumbling around on broken ankle that the situation really hit home. She had tasered him and when that had not brought him down she hit him with her the closest, heaviest thing she could find with a force that should have knocked him out. On the ground crawling instead of standing he still reached for her with bloodied hands. She bludgeoned him until he stopped moving. Horrified she had called Tony in a panic as JARVIS, connected through the phone, directed her to the safest place to hold up and wait. Iron Man had never flown so fast.

He had taken her to Bruce - _"I'm not that kind of doctor, Tony"_ \- and seen the pitying look as his science-bro treated her. And Pep, bless her heart, had known what that look meant. "Whatever this is, it's not good is it?" Teary eyed, back ram-rod straight, she'd demanded the truth.

Tony wanted to say that Bruce was wrong or that he was having a fevered dream after a night long bender. Science, however mysterious she could be, did not lie. The results of tests Bruce had done—as a precaution only, because no matter how insane a theory sounded it was still plausible until proven otherwise—showed that the virus infecting people killed very quickly, sometimes within hours. While the flesh was necrotic and the bodily functions well and truly ceased, the virus took hold in the brain. Manipulating electrical impulses was all it took to get the dead to walk. Only basic instincts remained: the need to devour, to eat. To infect.

Tony understood the results. He had. Honestly. It simply did not apply there. It was Pepper. She was immune to normal human things like death and zombie viruses. Right? And then she had looked at him with those soft understanding eyes. Tony had lost it. Latched onto her like a child with soundless uncontrollable sobs. She allowed it for only a few minutes before pushing him away, telling him that he needed to man-up now that she was dying.

He'd tried denying it. "No, Pep, you really aren't. You'll be fine-"

"Tony. _Shut. Up_."

Tried bargaining with Bruce; even silently begging any deity that would listen to save her. She was the best thing in his life, what was he going to do without her? Even when they broke up he had known she would still be there for him. But this was final.

"Tony, you Bruce and whoever is left need to figure out how to stop this. Or at least contain and do damage control. Right now the city and possibly even the world is going to need you. Promise me you won't take unnecessary risks," Pepper's hands had trembled when she held his. Her pallor was ashen and the blue of her veins even more prominent because of it. Tony did not need to check with Bruce to know her time was short. "I promise." And he would honor that final promise.

"Thank you." Pepper gave him a tiny, strained smile before dropping his hands. She was exhausted and in pain. "I need… I need someone to end this before I turn into one of those things."

"I'll do it."

"Tony-"

"Give me a minute to get the suit," Tony did not dare look at either of them as he fled the room. Pep, his precious Pep was asking for—he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. She was right of course. He needed to man-up.

He could do this.

 _Would_ do this for her.

Truthfully he could have called a suit to him, as the sensors imbedded under his skin allowed, but he had selfishly needed the time to himself. JARVIS was silent as the suit encased him and after a moments hesitation, Tony made his way back to Medical. They were more or less where he left them, though Bruce had offered an arm to keep her propped up. There wasn't much time left it seemed.

He held her one last time, whispered useless things such as choosing not to use the repulsors, until she kissed his cheek softly and patted his arm. Right. Time to get the show on the road.

"Will that be all Mr. Stark?" Pepper offered him a watery smile, one full of apology and love. She swayed in her seat, eyes drooping a little.

He raised his palm as the targeting system locked on to her skull.

"T-that will be all, Miss Pots."

He fired.

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Bruce had called the other Avengers back to the tower and explained his findings as Tony, along with JARVIS piloting a spare suit, boarded up the lower levels. Then initiated a full tower lock-down. Anyone already inside was subject to blood tests, bite and scratch checks. And a choice.

If bitten: a shot to the head, or being placed on the streets. No other option.

Needless to say Steve had a problem with that until Tony had decked him while still in the suit and told him Pepper was gone. And everyone else would be too if they left even one infected person in the tower. If Steve didn't like it then he could take his stuff and brave the crowds.

Twenty of the SI workers seeking refuge had to be removed. JARVIS was unable to contact Rhodey.

Two days later it was reported that Daredevil and Helen Cho hadn't made it. The virus was widespread.

A week after that JARVIS facial recognition went off. The Winter Soldier was sniping infected from a rooftop. Steve took the Quinjet to retrieve him. Surprisingly there were no complications. Less surprisingly was Black Widow and Hawkeye stepping off the Quinjet with them.

Five weeks into lockdown Spiderman webbed onto the landing pad with an encrypted flash drive. One hour later he took off his mask. An all too young Peter Parker smiled thinly and took a bullet. His suit hid a bite mark on his thigh. Tony set JARVIS on decrypting the flashdrive.

Week six. Still no contact with Rhodey.

And now, a total of three months from the start of infection, Tony was tired of it all and far too sober to deal.

"Shoo, Winter." He stared until the soldier sighed and headed back to the others. Really, he was Bucky more often than not but Tony knew it pissed him off when he was called Winter. He was bored, most certainly depressed, and stuck in the apocalypse. He had to get his kicks somehow.

Currently the team was poring over maps, radio transmissions and other gathered intel to circumvent the continuing rescue efforts. The lower level of his tower had become a place of refuge for survivors. Efforts were being taken to secure more locations. Even his tower could not support the human race. And lets be honest, he didn't want it to. He would send a suit to watch over them after they moved out, but it made it hard to sleep thinking of of all the potential infected he was housing. Certainly there were safeguards in place preventing anyone from getting to the top levels of the tower, it simply was not not enough.

"Sir, there is an incoming call from Col. Rhodes-"

Tony stood up so quick he spilled scotch down his front. No one laughed. "Patch him through J."

" _T-tony? Can y-you hear me?"_ Rhodey's voice was distorted by static. JARVIS was having a problem even keeping the signal.

"Honeybear! Great to hear from you. Where the hell have you been?" Hands firmly planted on his hips he stared at Rhodey. He looked exhausted.

" _Afghanistan. We were out of contact with any one o-other than the squad. Tony what the h-hell is going on?"_ Rhodey paused as something caught his attention. _"Oh fuck this- hold on I have to break this up."_

Tony's veins turned to ice. "Do not go near anyone who looks like they have been bitten. Especially if they are missing limbs or pieces of flesh. Seriously, don't do it. They will infect you. You will die."

" _Missing pieces of...? Oh christ. They are eating that guy!"_

"Rhodey. Welcome to the end of the world."

" _T-this is somehow all your fault isn't it?"_

"What? No, I think I would know if I created zombies!" Tony squawked in outrage. He did science. That was virus-y medical stuff. Not science. He ignored Clint's not so subtle laugh. Fuck him. He could sleep on the streets. And that was actually a threat now. Ha.

" _Hey, how's Pepper? You driving her crazy yet b-being cooped up together?"_

"Just get to the tower. There is a hot shower and food waiting." Tony cut the call. He knew JARVIS had a lock on Rhodey now and would alert him to any trouble. If War Machine had held up this long it would make it the last leg to the tower.

He ignored the sympathetic looks as he muttered something about his workshop on the way out of the common room. How was he supposed to tell Rhodey about Pepper? About Happy too. They were all they had left.

Tony called for Blackout Protocol and closed the workshop door.

Fuck the apocalypse.


End file.
